SHIFTER’s Kevin Bourne says Cord Jefferson’s directorial debut is “nomination worthy to say the least”. Here’s his full American Fiction film review. When author and English literature professor, Thelonious “Monk” Ellison (Jeffrey Wright), is forced to take a leave from work due to his unconventional teaching methods, he heads back home to Boston for a writers festival. While at home, he learns that he’s not only out of touch with the literary world but his family, including his mother (Leslie Uggams), sister Lisa (Tracee Ellis Ross), and brother (Sterling K. Brown). Not only does Monk have to worry about up…
Author: Kevin Bourne
Kevin Bourne
Kevin Bourne is the co-founder and editor of SHIFTER magazine. Born and raised in Toronto, Kevin currently resides in Ottawa with his wife Koliah and their three children. He's a big fan of hip-hop, pop culture, and urbanism and spends most of his time keeping up with the Kardashians.
Copa 71 is both a celebratory look of the 1971 Women’s World Cup and a damning indictment of male dominance and greed in sports. Here’s our Copa 71 review. Executive produced by Venus and Serena Williams and Isha Price, and directed by James Erskine and Rachel Ramsay, Copa 71 recalls the 1971 Women’s World Cup which was, until now, erased from sports history. It follows in the footsteps of documentaries like Quest Love’s Summer of Soul in combining lost footage and present day interviews with women soccer players from around the world as they recall the groundbreaking event. Together, the…
SHIFTER’s Kevin Bourne calls Netflix’s Reptile “the perfect murder thriller”. Find out why in his Reptile film review. Well, the 2023 edition of the Toronto International Film Festival started with a bang. Among the films being screened on opening day was Reptile, written by Oscar winner Benicio Del Toro, Benjamin Brewer, and Grant Singer, and starring Del Toro, Oscar nominee Justin Timberlake, and Alicia Silverstone. The film is set in the quaint town of Scarborough, Maine, but behind the lush landscapes and small town charm is a gruesome, noir whodunit where detective Tom Nichols (Benicio Del Toro) must solve the…
Kevin Bourne calls the final season of Top Boy a “sad, emotional and well-executed send off”. Find out why in his Top Boy Season 3 review. Yesterday, Netflix dropped the third and final season of their hit British crime drama Top Boy. Since its humble beginnings in 2011, the series has grown to international acclaim for its gritty depiction of inner city life in London, all while teaching the world the latest UK slang. After being cancelled in 2014, an impressive list of executive producers, including lead actors Ashley Walters and Kano, Maverick Carter and Drake, helped to revive the…
Rapper NF brought his Hope Tour to Toronto with a stop at Scotiabank Arena. Here’s SHIFTER’s Kevin Bourne with his NF concert review. Friday night, NF brought his Hope Tour to Toronto as the Michigan rapper performed in front of a capacity crowd at Scotiabank Arena. Opening for NF was lyricist and soon-to-be father, Cordae, who performed tracks like “Chronicles” and “RNP”. Known for having a gift with the bars, he also brought the party vibes, performing his new single “Make Up Your Mind”, one of his first times performing the song live. Over his set, Cordae showed that he…
Global is introducing some brand new TV series this fall, including Director X’s Robyn Hood. SHIFTER’s Kevin Bourne says that despite its criticisms, the series is groundbreaking Canadian television. Here’s his Robyn Hood season 1 episode 1 review. It was back in early 2022 that Global announced that it greenlit Robyn Hood, a modern adaptation of the legendary tale Robin Hood. Created and directed by Director X and written by award-winning screenwriter Chris Roberts, Robyn Hood tells the story of hip-hop artist Robyn Loxley (Jessye Romeo), whose masked hip-hop group, The Hood, uses videos with anti-authoritarian messaging to address the issues facing their…
North Carolina artist Toosii stopped in Toronto for a sold out show at History. Here’s SHIFTER’s Kevin Bourne with his Toosii concert review. Tonight, Syracuse/North Carolina artist Toosii stopped in Toronto as he performed in front of a sold out crowd at HISTORY. It was a full circle moment for the rapper who recalled being booed off the stage his first time in Canada. He treated to fans to some from across his catalogue including his 2020 tracks “Back From The Dead”, “Inside Out”, “Reminiscing”, “Love Cycle” and “Euphoria” with its rock elements, to newer singles like “Sinking”, his unreleased…
Toronto-based, Zambia/Winnipeg native, LAVI$H went from opening act to headliner with his latest show at Toronto’s The Axis Club. SHIFTER editor Kevin Bourne says he showed signs of stardom and gratitude in his headlining debut Tonight, a capacity crowd gathered at The Axis Club in Toronto’s Little Italy to witness a defining moment in the career of another rising Canadian talent. The energy was palpable as fans filed out onto the sidewalk, steps away from a cube truck equipped with LED screens playing videos of the man they came to see. A very nice touch. The night marked the first…
While Edge vs Sheamus was the moment the capacity crowd was waiting for, there were a lot impressive moments at WWE Smackdown in Toronto. After a stop last week in Calgary, the WWE stopped tonight at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto for a live episode of Smackdown. While the Edge vs Sheamus match was the big moment in celebration of his 25 years in WWE, there were big moments throughout. Here’s what went down at Smackdown in Toronto. Rey Mysterio and Santos Escobar on The Grayson Waller Effect First off, Grayson Waller may very well be the most annoying superstar on…
Manifesto had some big moments from The Circle and The Sorority reunions to a number of memorable performances. Here are some of the highlights from Manifesto 2023. Yesterday, thousands gathered at Echo Beach in Toronto for the 17th edition of Manifesto, billed as “Manifesto Presents: The Block Party” in partnership with CBC Music’s The Block. The lineup featured artists from across the Greater Toronto Area, as well as Ottawa, Edmonton and Calgary. There was Friyie, would brought his melodies and high energy to the stage. There was Toronto/Ottawa supergroup No Tourists who performed from their eclectic catalogue. There was also…
For the mid-season finale, Preston isn’t being himself, and Karen and Fatima clash one more time. Here’s our review of Tyler Perry’s Sistas Season 6 Episode 11. The midseason finale of Tyler Perry’s Sistas is all about setting up the second half of the season by raising new questions and leaving viewers in suspense. Still high from the night before, Preston is still not being himself. Not knowing what to do, Danni reaches out to Zac for help. When Zac arrives, he finds Preston is a mess. When Calvin returns home, a despondent Maurice admits he confessed to robbing the…
On August 4-5, the music industry gathered in Halifax, Nova Scotia for the first annual Crescendo Fest. Here’s our Crescendo Fest 2023 recap. This past weekend, SHIFTER was in Halifax for the first annual Crescendo Fest. The brainchild of Micah Smith, who is also the Investment Program Community Liaison at Music Nova Scotia, with support from the team at the Light House Arts Centre and an impressive list of sponsors, Crescendo Fest celebrates Black Music Artists as they gather for music, education, networking, empowerment, and culture. According to the organizers, the free two-day event was designed to “turn up the…
